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I need somthing to load salt with so I figured if I bought a skid steer and a pusher I could load salt, and add another plow to the outfit.

Also do any of you guys store salt at the job site? I have a few places that there's enough room but didn't know if it was a good idea.

Also I have no experience using pushers, are they as efficient as an 8' or 9' plow. The lots I already have and most that I have prepared a bid for could be plowed with a truck, so I don't know if i am wasting my time with a skid or not.

1 Bobcat S185 with a 8' protech snow pusher will be just as productive as two pickups with 7.5' straight plows. My self and my partner will not even bid something unless you can put a protech on it. We keep salt on all of our sites for convenince.

Hey Green, do any of your customer have a prolbem with storing salt at the site? I would use it not only for that location but everywhere else. Also do you need a material bucket to pile snow, or does the pusher work ok?

Hey Green, do any of your customer have a prolbem with storing salt at the site? I would use it not only for that location but everywhere else.

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Nope most of our salt bins have 20-60 tons because we need that much per event. As for our other smaller locations. Loading a 1 or 2 tons out for another location never has been a big deal. As long as you charge the right customer for the right amount of salt you used.

Bossman 92;394760 said:

. Also do you need a material bucket to pile snow, or does the pusher work ok?

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Pusher have one small problem. Which is you can't really clean curb line with them. Since the skid shoes are 6" out from the sides of the box when running with the curb line. Or 24" when you are running towards the curb. You roll your box back as you come up on the curb so the fronts of the shoes slide up and over the curb, then lift up and push into the pile. So you can get the most of the snow in the box off the pavement. Then when you are done. You put the bucket on and clean up the little bit thats left next to the curb. You can make some really big piles. Its a shame I always forget to take pictures of the skids and protechs stacking. Wheel loaders are the best for making huge tall piles with protechs.

OK let me put it this way, if you had a large area to plow with a decent amount of traffic, would you rather be in a truck or skid? I think I would rather be in the skid, to stack cars! But seriously, are you better off in one than the other?

People don't try to pass skids with boxes vs trucks with plows. They tend to stay the heck out of the way. Plus if some runs into you. Your out $5 in paint for the bobcat Vs $5k in a bodywork for a truck.

You have to remember a skid will only go up to 12 mph in a 2 speed . Fine for plowing but brutal for travel. Unless your sites are within a mile tops your going to loose too much time for travel. A couple decent sized sites within a quarter mile will pay for the machine. Drop a 40' shipping container for salt and you can store 30 ton easy. Salt plus an operator for 3 or 4 sites Cats ass.

For the plow versus a pusher debate. The plow will be more versatile, but not easily changed out to a bucket. The pusher is chained to the bucket, easy on off. The plow may be quick tach set up but you still have hydro lines to deal with. Plus a plow will not contain like a pusher , a v-blade would not come close to capacity of an 8' pusher .
What do you see on large wheel loaders ? Not too many plows unless its a wing blade

anybody ever use a v plow on a skid steer, just got a 185 and debating on pusher or blade?

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We had one sub last year who had a 8.5' Vplow on a LS180. He was really good at cleaning up curb lines but that was about it. We had smaller machines pushing 8' boxes and running circles around his carrying capacity. V plows on skid loaders are really just as waste unless you need to windrow and carry. But if your going to need to do that. Then get a 810SS or 8611SS plow. Pushers are the way to go. Cheap, no moving parts, and pretty much idiot proof to run.

I am planning on getting two 8' pushers this year.
One pull back on my Skid loader and another on my new tractor.

I tend to keep my skid loader in my neighborhood, I have 5 good sized condo associations and its easy to leave a machine and operator here where travel isn't an issue.

The other will be on my tractor where its mobility can be best used. I also like the idea of not spending as much time with trucks cleaning up large windrows. Keeping the trucks moving = More cash on Bid Jobs. But take my time on the hourly ones